Life-saving belt or preserver



jan. 15

A. PASTOR LIFE SAVING BELT OR PRESERVER Filed April 30 1923 Walk:

Patented Jan. 15, 1924.

ALBERTPASTOR,-'OF ALPHA, JERSEY. 1

LIFE-SAVING BELT a ransniavna,

Application filed April 30,; 1923., Serial n}. 635,578.:

servers, of which the following is a specificaj tion.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements 'inlife belts or preservers.

An. important object of the invention is to provide a novel form of life belt or preserver that mayrbe quiclrlyapplied ,to a person when circumstances have arisen that requiresuch speed. 7

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the above mentioned character that is especially suitable for use by a person endeavoring to acquire the art of self-propulsion through water, for unobstructed movement of the users arms will be permitted by the apparatus.

A still further object of the invent-ion is to provide reinforcing means for the various air compartments thereby substantially relieving the same of all strain which would result from the possible compressing of the said compartments.

Other objects and advantages of the infifl vention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a .part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the belt or preserver embodying this invention,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a form of the waist encircling portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1,

Figure 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on line III-III of Fig. 1,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on lines IVIV of Fig. 3,

Figure 5 is a detail elevational view, partly in section, showing the connection between the shoulder straps embodying this invention,

ment of thisinvention, the numeral 5 designatesthe waist encircling compartment that is provided at one end with a strap portion 6 having suitably connected thereto "a belt buckle 7 while the opposite end of the waist encircling compartment is provided with a strap end 8 having suitable spaced perforations formed therein that are adapted for receiving the tongue of the buckle"? for the purpose of properly adjusting the said portion :5 tov the waist of the userp Properly connected to the waist encircling compartment 5 at substantiallythe central" or rear portion of ,the same area pair of ,shoulder engaging compartments 9 and '10, the said compartment 10"l1aving a loop'orstrap element 11 properly secured thereto and adapted for loosely engaging the associated portion of the shoulder engaging compart- .ment 9 for the purpose of retaining the two elements 9 and 10 in proper relation to each other.

The general formation of the various compartments 5, 9 and 10 consists of an inner tube member 12 that is capable of retaining air placed therein through the valve stem 13 shown in Figs. 1 and 7. The tube 12 is surrounded by a spirally wound layer of reinforcing wire 14 which is retained in its proper position by means of an outer casing 15 which properly encloses the reinforcing layer 14 and tube 12. It is to be understood that the various compartments will be retained in their proper shape by means of the reinforcing wire 14 and that this shape may be either elongated as shown in Figs. 3 to 7 inclusive or circular as shown in the crosssectional view Fig. 2. By inspecting Figs. 3 and 4:, it will be seen that an air duct or passage 16 has been provided for allowing the passage of air from the shoulder engaging compartment 10 to the waist encircling compartment 5, it being understood that a similar duct or passage has been provided for connecting the waist encircling compartment 5 with the shoulder engaging compartment 9 thereby establishing communication between the filler stem 13 and the several compartments. It is to be understood that the shoulder engaging compartments 9 and 10 are properly secured at their opposite ends to the waist encircling compartments 5 by means of the tongues 17 coated with a suitable adhesive material.

It is believed that the construction and thereby increasing the convenient manner in mode of assembly of the various elements will be understood from the above detail description. In applying the belt or preserver to a persons body, the said persons head is to be inserted through the collar formation formed by the upper portions of the shoulder engaging compartments 9 and 10 which are thereafter adapted for being positioned upon the persons shoulders.

The connection between the said shoulder engaging compartments formed by the retaining loop or strap 11 will allow the said compartments to be adjusted in respect to each other for the purpose of reducing or increasing the size of the collar formation this invention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferred examples of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described the invention, I claim i 4 In a life belt or preserver, a series of independent air compartments ada Jted for engaging the shoulders and waist of the user, a filler stem for one compartment, means of communication therefrom to the remaining compartment, and means for securing said compartments to the user, said compart ments each consisting of a tube member, a flexible reinforcing layer formed from a spirally wound strandof wire encircling said tube, and a casing enclosing said reinforcing layer.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ALBERT PASTOR. 

